NFC Team Linked to Trade Talks for Raiders $11 Million Defensive End
The Las Vegas Raiders are set to return to action in Week 9 after enjoying their bye week in Week 8, and while they aren’t exactly hoping to be a playoff contender this season, their upcoming game against the Jacksonville Jaguars could be very important in determining what they end up doing ahead of the upcoming trade deadline.
With a 2-5 record, the Raiders have been one of the worst teams in the league this year, and it seems like a full-scale rebuild is on the horizon. As a result, that could lead them to be sellers ahead of the deadline, as they have several players who are drawing interest on the trade market. One of them is defensive end Malcolm Koonce, as reports indicate one NFC team in particular could make a big push for him.
Cowboys Showing Interest in Potential Malcolm Koonce Trade
Koonce isn’t necessarily the first player teams are looking at when they check out the Raiders’ roster, but he could serve as a valuable edge rusher for playoff-contending squads. After missing the entire 2024 campaign with a knee injury, Koonce has looked solid in his return this season, racking up 17 tackles, one sack, and one fumble forced through seven games.
One team that could use some help along its defensive line is the Dallas Cowboys. After pulling off a mind-boggling trade that sent Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers right before the start of the season, the Cowboys have unsurprisingly struggled to find a proper replacement for him. With the trade deadline approaching, they are expected to make a move to bring in some defensive line help.
Guys like Jaelan Phillips, Bradley Chubb, and Arden Key have quickly emerged as more popular trade targets, but Koonce is an intriguing target who isn’t drawing as much interest. And yet, as he showed in 2023 when he tallied eight sacks, he can be a game-changer on the defensive line. With that in mind, Dallas is poking around to see if Las Vegas would be willing to trade him.
“(The Cowboys) are in the market for a pass rusher, sources say,” Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported. “Arden Key, the Dolphins’ Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb, and the Raiders’ Malcolm Koonce are among the edge rushers who could be traded.”
Should the Raiders Trade Malcolm Koonce?
GettyMalcolm Koonce #51 of the Las Vegas Raiders looks on during the NFL Preseason 2025 game between Las Vegas Raiders and Seattle Seahawks.
Koonce has only started one game for the Raiders this season, and while the team is being cautious with him, considering the fact that he is coming back from a serious knee injury, it appears as if he isn’t exactly essential to their defense. Now that he’s proven he is back and fully healthy, this could be the perfect time for the team to capitalize on his value on the trade market.
The Cowboys desperately need pass rush help on defense, and they could be willing to pay a pretty penny for a guy like Koonce. With some of the other aforementioned options being more expensive, Koonce could be a cheaper target for teams to pivot to. The Raiders’ trade deadline strategy could ultimately be determined by what happens in Week 9, which makes their upcoming contest against the Jaguars well worth watching.
Broncos QB Bo Nix Offers Telling Response After Beating Texans
Bo Nix can relay an entire sequence of plays from memory long after they have passed by. The Denver Broncos’ second-year QB still has a short memory, and it served him well in Week 9 against the Houston Texans.
Nix and the Broncos’ offense grinded their way to an 18-15 victory against the NFL’s No. 1 defense in scoring and overall.
It took all four quarters, but Nix led the Broncos into position to win the game, which they did.
Bo Nix Gets Honest About Short Memory After Broncos’ Win
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos signals to a teammate during a play against the New York Giants.
Nix completed 18 of 37 passes for 173 yards, with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception in the Broncos’ win over the Texans.
Nix was 9-for-16 for 76 yards and threw his touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The Broncos scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. Nix guided them into position for teammate Wil Lutz to successfully attempt the game-winning field goal try.
But he had to shake off the slow start and his turnover.
“I‘ve learned a different kind of patience as I’ve grown. In high school, I was not very patient. It was like an every drive thing. And if I did have to get off the field, and we had to punt, it was the world. And in college, it was learning how to win certain battles, and field position, and just getting completions, and checking it down, and moving to the next play,” Nix told reporters on November 2.
“You just have to eventually learn, as a quarterback, how important that next play really is. And if you can just get into a better situation than you were the play prior, then you did your job.”
Nix certainly did that, scrambling for 34 yards on the Broncos’ final drive of the game, including a 9-yarder to set up Lutz’s field goal. Nix and Broncos head coach Sean Payton noted how expectations have changed, and this team expects to win games like this.
Still, Nix, the No. 12 overall pick in 2024, knows this is still just the beginning for him.
Bo Nix Looking to ‘Maximize Potential
GettyBo Nix #10 of the Denver Broncos looks on after a win against the Dallas Cowboys.
Nix reiterated that he has simply “learned how to get to the next play better” and has “a little bit more patience.” It helps that Nix entered the league as the most experienced QB in NCAA history, logging 61 collegiate starts.
He has already seen the growth in himself from last season, but he is not satisfied.
“Each level, I just feel like I’ve been able to learn a lot and grow a lot. And I’m definitely not the same as I was this time last year, much less than when I was in high school,” Nix said.
“I’ve come a long way. Still got so much to learn, which is the fun part. But I’m going to continue to work, not stop, until I maximize my potential. Don’t know when that would be, but I’m excited because there’s a lot to learn a lot to grow from. Gives us another opportunity next week to go out there and change it up. But I’m sure we’ll learn from the mistakes we make next week as well. So, I just learned learn how to be a little bit more patient and go into the next play.”
Up next, Nix and the Boroncos will face their AFC West rivals, the Las Vegas Raiders, at home on “Thursday Night Football.”
